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Best Options To Becoming A Chartered Accountant?

Hello all,
(That's if anyone even looks at this! :wink: )

I'm in my second year of GCSE so I will be taking my exams this summer!
It's come to that time of year that we are being asked to pick our options for sixth form next year. My career plans are towards becoming a Chartered Accountant. I was wondering if you this what I am choosing is the best way forward.

My A level choices are:
Maths (linked to acc)
Economics (linked to acc)
Law (interest/back up)
Politics (interest )
Psychology(interest )

After A levels I'm hoping to go to university and study "Accountancy & Finance" in somewhere like Bath or Warwick (depending i'll get the grades). After this hoping to join the ACCA.

Does this look like a good career path? :smile:

Scroll to see replies

Awesome. :smile: Your A-level choices are very strong and accountancy is a very rewarding path to go down. So many opportunities for self employment, the career offers numerous possibilities in terms of flexibility. Flexibility and rather high pay. I hope you like spreadsheets. :wink: I'm a trainee accountant.
Reply 2
You don't need a degree in accounting, nor do you need a degree in anything for that matter! All you need is a few good A levels showing numerical skills, then you take exams through the ACCA/CIMA/ICAEW. You might do this via a practice, as they fund your training and give you on-the-job experience (provided you don't fail any exams), and then you'll be a fully dledged chartered accountant! Bear in mind, the exams are very tough, but if you don't do a degree, you'll be well ahead of your peers who undertake a degree in accounting; They'll only be exempt from a few exams, but they'll still have to be professionally trained like you. But by all means do the degree if you want the university life, i'm jsut saying that it is not necessary to become a chartered accountant.

hope this helps and good luck!
Reply 3
Original post by Electronica
Awesome. :smile: Your A-level choices are very strong and accountancy is a very rewarding path to go down. So many opportunities for self employment, the career offers numerous possibilities in terms of flexibility. Flexibility and rather high pay. I hope you like spreadsheets. :wink: I'm a trainee accountant.


:smile: Thank you! Haha! I'm excited for the spreadsheets!! :wink:
May I ask.. How is going as a trainee accountant?
Reply 4
Original post by amirlad
You don't need a degree in accounting, nor do you need a degree in anything for that matter! All you need is a few good A levels showing numerical skills, then you take exams through the ACCA/CIMA/ICAEW. You might do this via a practice, as they fund your training and give you on-the-job experience (provided you don't fail any exams), and then you'll be a fully dledged chartered accountant! Bear in mind, the exams are very tough, but if you don't do a degree, you'll be well ahead of your peers who undertake a degree in accounting; They'll only be exempt from a few exams, but they'll still have to be professionally trained like you. But by all means do the degree if you want the university life, i'm jsut saying that it is not necessary to become a chartered accountant.

hope this helps and good luck!



Haha! Thank you!! So that would be a quicker way into the system? I was thinking about doing something like that but I would quite like to live the "university life". Some say best time in their lives!
Thanks again, I will take this in mind when the time come to choose.
So do you think I would be able to go staight with the A levels I have chosen? :smile:
Original post by SophF_rth
:smile: Thank you! Haha! I'm excited for the spreadsheets!! :wink:
May I ask.. How is going as a trainee accountant?


Good. I work for my mum. :tongue: And it's not actually what I'm doing at university, I've just been brought up through the family business like a butcher or baker. :biggrin: It's very repetitive work, but I enjoy repetitive work so I can't complain. I'm getting a fiver an hour. :woo: The poster above me is right though - if you know that accountancy is definitely for you then there isn't much point in doing the degree. My mother did BA accountancy but you can become chartered regardless of doing the degree or not. I'm doing engineering at university and they become chartered accountants all the time. :smile:

If you want the university life I'd suggest doing the degree anyway though. What harm could come of it?
Reply 6
Original post by SophF_rth
Haha! Thank you!! So that would be a quicker way into the system? I was thinking about doing something like that but I would quite like to live the "university life". Some say best time in their lives!
Thanks again, I will take this in mind when the time come to choose.
So do you think I would be able to go staight with the A levels I have chosen? :smile:


A lot quicker! The ACCA exams, for example, take 3 years, maybe slightly more if you have to retake one. THe degree only exempts you from a few, and you'll still be studying for 3 years after your degree to take those exams.

However, i have no idea about whether having no degree makes you less employable. But the idea is that if you leave school at 18, secure training and exams with a practice, then you go on to work for them, if you so choose. My uncle did that, and within a few years after becoming chartered (without a degree), he set up his own practice, and he's never looked back :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by Electronica
Good. I work for my mum. :tongue: And it's not actually what I'm doing at university, I've just been brought up through the family business like a butcher or baker. :biggrin: It's very repetitive work, but I enjoy repetitive work so I can't complain. I'm getting a fiver an hour. :woo: The poster above me is right though - if you know that accountancy is definitely for you then there isn't much point in doing the degree. My mother did BA accountancy but you can become chartered regardless of doing the degree or not. I'm doing engineering at university and they become chartered accountants all the time. :smile:

If you want the university life I'd suggest doing the degree anyway though. What harm could come of it?


Haha! Oh I see! Quite nice to have that running in the family though!
Yeah, that's quite different from accountancy but i like that that people do completely different degrees and it works out!
Exactly! Other than a bit of debt for a while! :wink: I'm quite looking forward to it even if i'm quiet far away at the moment!!
Reply 8
Original post by amirlad
A lot quicker! The ACCA exams, for example, take 3 years, maybe slightly more if you have to retake one. THe degree only exempts you from a few, and you'll still be studying for 3 years after your degree to take those exams.

However, i have no idea about whether having no degree makes you less employable. But the idea is that if you leave school at 18, secure training and exams with a practice, then you go on to work for them, if you so choose. My uncle did that, and within a few years after becoming chartered (without a degree), he set up his own practice, and he's never looked back :smile:


Very true! I suppose i'll see when the time comes, whether I'd like to do it quicker or not! I like like studying so maybe the longer route is better for me?
I see! In a way its probably a better way to go but, i'm not sure!
Original post by SophF_rth
Haha! Oh I see! Quite nice to have that running in the family though!
Yeah, that's quite different from accountancy but i like that that people do completely different degrees and it works out!
Exactly! Other than a bit of debt for a while! :wink: I'm quite looking forward to it even if i'm quiet far away at the moment!!


The debt is manageable, and workable in my opinion. But don't listen to me, I'm a Scottish student. :getmecoat:
Reply 10
Original post by SophF_rth
Very true! I suppose i'll see when the time comes, whether I'd like to do it quicker or not! I like like studying so maybe the longer route is better for me?
I see! In a way its probably a better way to go but, i'm not sure!


Hmm, to be honest the tuition fee debt is nothing to be sniffed at, but maybe uni is a good option for you, if you get a 2:1 or a first they'll be queueing up to hire you!
Reply 11
Original post by Electronica
The debt is manageable, and workable in my opinion. But don't listen to me, I'm a Scottish student. :getmecoat:


haha! My sister went to St Andrews for her degree!
I'm sure it wont be too hard! I already have money saved up! Learn to drive or be in less debt at uni?! :biggrin: :cool:
Reply 12
Original post by amirlad
Hmm, to be honest the tuition fee debt is nothing to be sniffed at, but maybe uni is a good option for you, if you get a 2:1 or a first they'll be queueing up to hire you!



Haha! Well, all of my sister (3) have gone to uni and come out with 2:2 or 2:1 so i'm hope I will be able to get 2:2 at least! :s-smilie:
Original post by SophF_rth
haha! My sister went to St Andrews for her degree!
I'm sure it wont be too hard! I already have money saved up! Learn to drive or be in less debt at uni?! :biggrin: :cool:


No I meant I don't need to pay fees, so I can hardly comment, :biggrin:
Reply 14
Original post by Electronica
No I meant I don't need to pay fees, so I can hardly comment, :biggrin:


Oh I thought you still had to pay fees but not as much? :O
Original post by SophF_rth
Oh I thought you still had to pay fees but not as much? :O


Nope. It will cost me about £4.10 a day to be educated at university (train fare). Aside from books and such.
Reply 16
Original post by Electronica
Nope. It will cost me about £4.10 a day to be educated at university (train fare). Aside from books and such.


Haha! Now I wish I was scottish!! :lol:
Pretty good deal!!
Id do 4 A levels not 5. A definitely try to get a 2:1 or better. A 2:2 stops you from applying to lots of grad schemes.
Original post by SophF_rth
Haha! Thank you!! So that would be a quicker way into the system? I was thinking about doing something like that but I would quite like to live the "university life". Some say best time in their lives!
Thanks again, I will take this in mind when the time come to choose.
So do you think I would be able to go staight with the A levels I have chosen? :smile:


if i were you i would still do a degree - preferabley something finance/accountancy realted - if anything becuase certain degrees even give you exemption for some of the exams of the Chartered ( i know all this now because my cousin is now a chartered accountant!)

Its a good line to go because it is one of the best paid job lines for a graduate and there are loads of jobs for a qualified accountant inthis country- but becuase of that is is become very competitive, so would suggest you take some decent subjects
Reply 19
I'd say the Scholarship schemes from the Big Four, for example KPMG's new scheme, is a very good way to dodge the debt while still getting a degree, work experience and a guaranteed job.

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